1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to a suspensory device for use with bottles or containers and, more particularly, to a device for facilitating a hands-free suspension of a bottle or container from the body of an individual, thus allowing for unencumbered physical activity yet allowing for easy access to said container.
2. Prior Art
The decades of the seventies and eighties spawned a new awareness among many individuals worldwide and especially in the United States that the maintenance of good health is a very serious and neverending process. Out of this awareness developed an entire health and fitness industry emphasizing the individual and maintenance of a healthy body via exercise and proper nutrition.
Many aerobic activities such as long-distance running, jogging, hiking, biking, weight training and combination activities such as the so-called "iron man" activities and triathlo competitions have become extremely popular. These activities have spawned their own very successful commercial niche within the overall health and fitness industry.
Much of this commercialization has been concerned with the relationship that exists between aerobic exercise and proper nutrition and more specifically, the relationship between exercise and fluid and electrolyte replacement. As a result, many products such as the highly successful electrolyte replacement formulation GATORADE distributed by the PowerBurst Company of Fresno, Calif., have become commonplace household items.
However, despite all the advances in fluid replacement technology and related product development, the problem of how to efficiently deliver or make the fluids available to the exercising individual remained a significant problem. The earliest attempts involved the us of canteens and other water or fluid containers such as jugs or jars or even cups of all descriptions. These products had major shortcomings in that they could not be easily carried by the exercising individual and, more specifically, they required the individual to stop his activity to gain access to the fluid contents.
Significant progress was achieved with the introduction of a modified soft-sided plastic bottle/container with a specially designed spout allowing for consumption of the fluid without removing the bottle cap or lid. Examples of this type of product are Nalgene Trail Products manufactured by Nagle Company of Rochester, N.Y.; Igloo Products manufactured by Igloo Products Company of Houston, Tex.; Open Country multi-use bottle manufactured by The Metal Ware Corporation of Two Rivers, Wis., and many others.
The problem still remained as to how such a fluid delivery product could be effectively utilized without significantly impairing the user's ability to perform the desired activity and/or exercise. If the user were forced to physically hold the bottle or container, he (or she) would not be able to utilize his (or her) hands during any activity or exercise. If the user decided not to physically hand-carry the bottle, her (or she) would either lose the use of the product or be severely limited in the element of mobility or movement during his or her activity or exercise program.
Given this realization, certain products have been introduced to the market that attempt to address this problem. Such products as the AQUA GEAR line marketed by the NIKE Corporation attempt to address this problem of access and mobility by providing an external carrier for the container or bottle that can be attached to the belt or worn around the neck of the user by way of appropriate straps. However, this approach addresses the mobility problem but does not address the access problem. By providing an external carrier for the container or bottle, the user has access only to the upper or spout portion of the bottle and not the soft squeezable or pliable side portions. This physical limitation prevents the user from completely accessing the fluid contents of the bottle without physically stopping his or her activity and removing the bottle from the external carrier.
The idea that a runner, jogger, biker or hiker needs to have hands-free access to the actual fluid container or bottle while having said container or bottle securely attached to the body of the user in such a manner as not to interfere with the user's activity and/or exercise program remains unaddressed by these approaches.
One product known in the art consists of a single, relatively rigid plate or collar with a central aperture. The neck portion of a bottle may be inserted into the aperture and the cap of the bottle screwed back on the bottle neck to hold the collar in place. The collar (with attached bottle) is suspended by appropriate straps that are inserted into slots or openings in the collar and may be worn around the user's neck. This device enhances mobility and access related to the bottle carried thereby. However, this device has the significant drawback that it creates a significant safety hazard when the freely swinging suspended bottle or the support strap becomes entangled with some obstruction. The possibility of serious injury to the user due to this neck strap device is obvious. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved device that addresses not only the issues of access and mobility by the user but also the issue of user safety while remaining cost effective.